CANCER

The Approach to Care of Cancer

The Approach to Care of Cancer

Introduction

Tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue, the growth of that exceeds and is not coordinated with that of the normal tissue and persists in the same manner after cessation of the stimuli that evoked the growth initially. This is made up of actively growing cells and do not contain supporting stroma or vascular network. These attributes distinguish cancer from other proliferating processes, such as inflammation, repair and hyperplasia, which are orderly and coordinated (Mehta & Bansal 2004).

Discussion

The term cancer refers to more than 100 forms of disease processes, involving almost any tissue type. Each cancer has unique features, yet the basic process is common and that it violates usual interdependent controls placed on 30 trillion normal cells in human body. The incidence of most significant forms of cancer is increased. Cancers of lung, colon, breast, prostrate are all likely to increase in countries where cigarette smoking, unhealthy dietary habits and exposure to carcinogen chemicals are common. Mutated genes Inherited from parents influence cancer development. However, the inherited physiological traits make the person more susceptible to carcinogenic effects. Genetic mutation play important role in the pathogenesis of cancers (Mehta & Bansal, 2004).

System present in human cell evokes the cell to undergo apoptosis, if some of its components are damaged or if its mechanisms is deregulated. For example, damage to its chromosomal DNA can result in apoptosis. Removal of damaged cells is one mechanism, if the repair process fails to prevent danger of carcinogenic mutations. The cancer cells, therefore, emerges by evading the circuitry of the apoptotic system. P53 protein helps in this apoptotic process where as Bcl-2 wards off the process of apoptosis. The mechanism of radiation injury or chemotherapeutic drugs resulting is DNA damage take advantage of this phenomena of apoptosis to eliminate cells (Mehta & Bansal 2004)..

Malignant transformation is caused by the accumulation of mutations in specific types of the gene. The proto-oncogenes encourage abnormal cell growth and suppressor genes inhibit it. When mutated, these genes can either contribute to too much growth or do not apply necessary brakes when desired. Sometimes cancer arises earlier in age than expected, perhaps inherited genetic abnormalities play crucial role in such situations. Typical examples are colon polyposis, premenopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancers (Morris, 1998).

Regional spread

The metastatic property of a cancer not only accounts for local extension, but also promotes lymphatic embolization and involvement of regional lymph nodes. Epithelial cancers mostly spread to regional lymph nodes (Mehta & Bansal 2004).

Distant Spread

In the majority of cancers, distant spread is the main cause of mortality. Once cancer cells invade blood vessels, they may get detached as tumor emboli, either as single cell or as cellular aggregates. Cancers arising from an organs that drain into the portal venous system such as stomach or colon tend to metastasize to the liver. Blood bone metastases are known to appear at unusual sites, due to either normal or aberrant venous ...